Tribeca Film Gets 'The Bang Bang Club'

Tribeca Film has acquired U.S. rights to The Bang Bang Club, a drama based on the lives of photojournalists during the last stages of apartheid in South Africa. It stars Ryan Phillippe and Malin Akerman and was written and directed by Steven Silver. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Tribeca Film will release it theatrically in the second quarter of 2011.

I may not have seen this movie but if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. White man/woman enters foreign environment and after initial reluctance where he/she proves themselves they’re accepted and go on to champion the cause of the locals who seem to be unable to solve their own problems without the benevolent interloper. Now, I’m supposed to be impressed with the purported “risks” some paparazzi endured by CHOICE rather than the very real oppression he captured on film? I don’t think so.

Movies like these are offensive on so many levels. I saw the last Samurai and wouldn’t you know it, Tom Cruise was the last Samurai. Saw Last King of “Scotland” and watched how an imaginary Scottish doctor stole the show from the very real Idi Amin, who was also a very compelling personality in the 20th century. Not compelling enough perhaps for people who love to include themselves even when it makes no sense. The nerve of people to pass off a “photo journalist” as a hero amid all the real heroes of that time period.The sheer arrogance and delusion are astounding.

Say what you want about Mel Gibson but Apocalypto told an indigenous tale using indigenous actors who spoke the indigenous language. He’s a lot of things but he’s a REAL artist and not some pseudo-carpetbagger suffering from delusions of grandeur while looking for undeserved accolades and financial windfalls.

Alex • on Nov 17, 2010 9:59 am

I met Greg Marinovitch in SA 11 years ago. He took me on an insider’s tour of Soweto. Very interesting guy, although as a photojournalist you definitely live each day as if it’s your last. Considering what he went through, it’s understandable. Nice to see that they made his book into a movie. Looking forward to it.